In recent years, as the computerization of automobiles has been progressing, there has been continuing development of technology for providing information to drivers and aiding control of automobiles by imaging a periphery of a vehicle with the use of video cameras and analyzing the obtained video.
For example, patent document 1 discloses a vehicle-mounted monitoring camera device that, for example, images the rear of a vehicle and a condition of the road and presents the images to a driver. FIG. 1 shows a structure of the vehicle-mounted monitoring camera device. As shown in FIG. 1, a vehicle-mounted monitoring camera device 1 includes a lens 101 with an optical filter attached, an imaging device 102, a cable 103, a camera signal processing circuit 104, a monitor 105, and an image recognition circuit 106.
The optical-filter-attached lens 101 and the imaging device 102 are stored in a side view mirror 110 of the automobile, and imaging is performed through a half-mirror 111.
Accordingly, given that neither the lens 101 nor the imaging device 102 are disposed in the passenger compartment, the aesthetic design and comfort of the passenger compartment are not diminished, and the driver's field of vision is not blocked. Also, environmental conditions such as vibration and heat are more favorable in this case than when the lens 101 and imaging device 102 are disposed in the engine compartment, and therefore malfunctions do not readily occur. Furthermore, given that the lens 101 and imaging device 102 are not disposed on a surface of the vehicle body, there is no increase in aerodynamic resistance, and a preferable aesthetic design is maintained.
Patent document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. H05-294183 (FIG. 1 and FIG. 7)